Seagate Technology , the
world’s leading manufacturer of Consumer Electronics (CE) hard drives,
announced that its 40GB, 60GB and 80GB LD25 Series Hard Drives have started to
ship to a new generation of technology appliance manufacturers. The LD25
Series drive provides an ideal combination of capacity and size for
leading-edge game consoles, low-profile set-top boxes, home entertainment
devices, small-form-factor computing applications, and other emerging fixed
applications(1).
Next generation gaming consoles will be the first-to-market with the new
60GB LD25 Series Hard Drive and are increasingly utilizing hard drive
technology, to enable a more satisfying and exciting gaming experience. Gaming
consoles with an embedded or attached hard drive are capable of delivering a
more comprehensive set of features than those without hard drive storage. The
LD25 Series drive allows gamers to download digital content — such as game
levels, characters, maps, weapons and vehicles, game demos, video trailers and
audio files; support their custom music playlists in every game; store video
messages from friends; and save games. In addition, hard drives enable gamers
to purchase digital content for a much richer and robust gaming experience.
According to In-Stat, worldwide console and handheld online gaming
subscribers numbered 3.4 million in 2004, and could exceed 30 million by 2009.
“Hard drive storage has the ideal capacity, price and multi-stream
capability needed to enable content-rich features, like video, photos and
uncompressed music, in gaming, home entertainment centers, embedded DVRs and
other CE applications,” said Rob Pait, director of Global Consumer Electronics
Marketing at Seagate. “The LD25 Series drives provide a unique combination of
small size and media-focused design that will further promote and enable these
new, creative designs.”
Driving Video Games, New TVs, Small Form-factor PCs and Other Technology
Appliances
The LD25 Series drives are available in 40GB, 60GB and 80GB capacity
points. The increase in capacity from the previous generation, made possible
with Seagate perpendicular recording technology, is required for the wider
variety of media being downloaded into new systems. For example, video game
consoles are now centers for downloaded games, music and media; embedded DVR
TVs are recording video content without an external box attached; and lower-
profile set-top boxes are storing IPTV and other content being distributed in
interesting new ways. The LD25 Series hard drives also feature Seagate’s
patented SoftSonic fluid dynamic bearing motors for super-quiet operation and
high reliability. Seagate’s industry leading DynaPlay technology optimizes the
drive for media streaming, power consumption and content security and enables
smaller, simpler, and more cost-effective applications.
